Is it necessary for children to wear sunglasses?

The warmer weather is here, and we're spending more time outdoors, making the most of the sun's rays. It's only natural that we wear sunglasses to protect ourselves from the brightest hours of daylight, but is it necessary for children to wear them too? Dr. Joan Prat Bartomeu, pediatric ophthalmologist at Sant Joan de Déu Hospital, assures us that they can wear them without any problem.

Can children wear sunglasses at any age?

Prat asserts that children under three still have very small noses to fit them properly, and he believes that if they aren't essential, perhaps they shouldn't be used under that age.

Can they cause vision problems?

"From the age of nine, vision is fully developed, and wearing sunglasses won't change this development," Prat explains. He also assures that as long as children are in a bright, bright environment that is bothersome, they can wear them for as long as they like, with no recommended limitation.

And, conversely, is there a risk of eye diseases if they don't wear sunglasses?

Prat assures that not wearing sunglasses poses no danger as long as you don't look directly at the sun. "If you look at the sun for a certain amount of time, it can cause retinal burns." This is the only danger, with or without sunglasses.

What should you keep in mind when choosing the most appropriate sunglasses for a child?

The important thing is to buy sunglasses from opticians and avoid non-specialist stores, which offer dubious materials. "You don't know what they're selling, and therefore, it wouldn't be the best option," Prat reminds us. "And keep in mind that brown and green filters are the best for protecting our eyes from the sun," he adds.

If the child doesn't want to wear them, but we consider it necessary, what can we do?

Prat puts forward an alternative: caps. "They should be caps with a good visor, like baseball caps," he emphasizes.